This blog was created to encourage me to create more. You don't have to leave comments but follow me and send me your blogs... that way we all learn about the wonderful artists and craft makers out there in the world and cheer each other on! Happy making! My other blog is for my daily life photo's.
http://chocolatelifeandjazz.blogspot.com

Monday, February 28, 2011

Thought l would show you some of the images Andrew took of my Art. Hope you like what you see.

Silk paintings.. Small house painting. No.1

Winter

Summer

Houses Large No.1

Death Masks.

Fish No.1

Fish No.2

Garden Angel

Noah's Ark!

Junkanoo...No.1

No1 wall hanging

"Hurting". My response to a workshop l gave about Self Harming with some of my clients. It is created from reclaimed wood, found glass, gauze, acrylic and a thrown away syringe which had not been used!

This last image was taken last year..note blond hair ( now red!)..this statue is in Paddington Basin in Little Venice.

Sunday, February 27, 2011

Finally l have bought myself a rotary cutter and isn't "she" pretty?! Wonder if by being pretty instead of plain, will make the cutting easier and or faster? Just a thought!x

And here are just some of the small "pockets" that l finished last night, that are waiting to be added to another wall hanging. Hope you enjoy seeing them as l really enjoy the time it takes to make each. I have really got into this idea of "slow cloth" work. Some of the material l use l design and make myself, others l buy stuff from Charity Shops, cut them up and also salvage the buttons. I am always on the outlook for Material Shop Sales that are selling off cheap but good quality cotton pieces. Also when l have finished with a piece of clothing or can't wear it any more( dam weight!Ha!) l will re-cycle it into my material bin! Nothing is ever wasted in my house if humanly possible, it also helps that l am a horder! Although poor Tony wishes l wasn't some times!

I have decided to make this last one into a brooch and not add it to a wall hanging!.

Friday, February 25, 2011

Here are some more results of my dyeing experiments. These pieces of silk were dyed with Raspberry Tea.

More materials dyed with Raspberry Tea. This time a piece of old French silk that had been dyed first in

onion skins and orange peel. I was not happy about that colour, so l redyed it. This time l am very happy with the results. The other pieces are silk and it always surprises me how each piece absorbs the dye so differently.

The next images are of more pieces of silk that have been dyed with yellow onion skins.

The image below of an old handkerchief was first dyed with onion skins but looked so dull, so l did a second dye with the Raspberry Tea. Really like this result.

The next image is of a piece of silk, a piece of lace and a piece of thick, embroiderd cotton which were all dyed in Blueberries. Not as good as l hoped but l am doing some more experimenting... so watch this space!

The image below shows some cotton thread which was dyed in Raspberry Tea. The image actually doesn't do it justice. The thread is actually loads of different shades of pink....very pretty.

Monday, February 21, 2011

The first image today is of my wrapped bundles, that l have next to the compost heap. There are some marks appearing but l just have to be patient and wait for many more months yet!!Not good at waiting..Ha! It is fun though going every week or so and having a look to see what is appearing..if anything. I have noticed that a few birds and quite a few grey squirrels have investigated them!

I have been looking for a while, for a small hanging drying rack, for my dyeing materials. I found one last week and here it is in use, above my radiator in the kitchen. When the Art Room is ready, only a few more things to find room for, the rack will find a permenant home on the wooden rack hanging from the ceiling, in the kitchen. It is small but has enough pegs on it for what l need but can also be followed into quite a small bundle, when not in use.

These pieces of silk, cotton, canvas and an old cotton handerchief were dyed in a dye bath of onion skins and orange peel. Love the rich browns of the silk and find it fasinating there are so many different shades of brown, all from the same dye bath.

More silks from the same dye bath. The lace is a piece of old French lace which before dyeing was a dull white/yellow colour.

While shopping in my local Sainsbury's, l noticed that there was a pile of red onion skins in the bottom of the onion box! Now those of you that know me will be saying.."Oh no"! You are right, l put the skins into my shopping bag. And yes...l did worry l was going to be "got" for shoplifting but no one stopped me. The red skins are now in one of my kilner jars.

This piece of old, used to be white Indian bedspread, has dyed well with some bark dyeing. Love the way the polyester thread has kept its sheen but still dyed well.

These different kinds of silk were all dyed with blueberries. Love the different shades..blue through to purple..gorgeous.

My first experience of dyeing with blood oranges was not that satisfactory but l will not give up, as l have seen some great dyeing done with them. So off to buy some more blood oranges soon l think!

This piece was dyed with blueberries first, then over dyed in a blueberries again but with a iron nail in the dye bath. See the difference when iron is added and also l like the watermark on this piece.

These silk pieces were dyed with tea that had a nail in the dye bath. Love the grey colour.

I am also still creating my wall hangings and thought l would show you one of them which l finished last night. This one is a small hanging.

At the moment l have 68 followers on this particular blog, when l reach 100 followers l will do a "give away" of some of my Art.
Nightx

Monday, February 14, 2011

Blueberry Eco dye..2nd attempt to get colour. This time took bundle out of pot as normal, but didn't wash bits of blueberries off it before drying, as l did before. I lost all the colour by washing it straight away. Then when dried, left it for 3 weeks, opened it then brushed blueberries off, which were dried and just fell off. Love this colour. Have washed since and colour still intact.

Next Eco collection really to be sorted and bundled! So exciting.

A beautifully laid floor in my Art studio. Thank you Tony for a wonderful Valentine's Day presentxx

I had not realised until this year that this beautiful flower is from the Quince bush......and l think l am observant!!! I wonder how it will dye? Have to go and do some more experimenting..yippee!

I have been taking some images with an idea about textures and fabric. These are two of tthe images , rather like them.

I love this purple colour...will have to do some research into how this will dye. Have some notes on this some where....!

Silk-painting.....Some times a mistake can be made to be something else....have to think about this one!

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About Me

I work with paper, silk, wood and included many 'found objects' in my pieces. I love colour and textures and wax. I also love making and creating journals.
I have been married since 1972 and have a Daughter and Son. My cup is always half full and my husband's is always half empty....that's why we are still happily married!!!
I was an R.A.F child and an Army Officer's wife , a British Banker's wife and now my husband is retired x. I have been very lucky to live and work in Dubai, Papua New Guinea, Channel Islands, Luxembourg and the Bahamas. I am at present based in London and enjoying every minute of it. Life is great!
My Art,Craft and life blogs are now combined and has become...
http://chocolatelifeandjazz.blogspot.co.uk
For quite a few years l ran an Art school and studio for babies all the way up to adults. In late 2015 l closed the school due to increased rent and also because my son and his wife had a baby ! So l spent 6months of 2016 i Bondi beach, Australia, looking after my new grandson. Now November 2016 l am back in UK .... thanks to Brexit .... trying to work out how to get back! BUT l am having lots of fun creating my own Art ! :)